Involving Parents Through Children’s Literature: Grades 1-2

This work is designed to encourage parent participation in the learning process. Activity sheets based upon popular children’s books are designed in a format for easy reproduction and distribution so they can be taken home by children. Designed to increase discussion, reading skills and comprehension, each sheet includes a summary of the book, discussion questions and a list of learning activities for parents and children. Books were selected on the basis of quality and accessibility, in addition to their popularity with children. Titles include: The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trina Noble, Iris Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola and The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. This book is the first in a series of four and is appropriate for grades 1 and 2. Other titles in the series will address grades Pre-K and K, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6. Anthony Fredericks’ columns appear in The Reading Teacher and Teaching K-8 .